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Why does killing Warwick while his attack trigger is on the chain prevent it from doing anything, but Kog'Maw's deathknell still works after he dies?

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FAQ #7917·asked by 182629848018059264·January 4, 2026·Rules v1.4·Asked before Vendetta
Answer

Ruling: Warwick's trigger uses "here" which is a restriction that must be met both when the ability is placed on the chain and when it resolves. If Warwick is removed from the battlefield (moved to trash/hand), there is no longer a "here" location to reference, so the ability resolves but does nothing. Kog'Maw's deathknell uses "my battlefield" instead of "here", which functions differently, though the developers have admitted this isn't well-covered in the current comprehensive rules and will be clarified in version 1.2.

Sequence:

  • When Warwick attacks, his trigger goes on the chain
  • If Warwick is killed/removed before the trigger resolves, he is no longer at any location on the battlefield
  • When the trigger resolves, it looks for "here" but Warwick has no "here" anymore
  • The ability resolves but does nothing because the restriction cannot be met
  • Kog'Maw's deathknell works because "my battlefield" is treated differently by developer ruling

Nuances:

  • "Here" acts like a pointer that constantly references the unit's current location
  • If Warwick moves to a different battlefield before his trigger resolves, the trigger will affect the new "here" location
  • Abilities without locational restrictions (like Traveling Merchant's loot trigger) still resolve fully even if the unit is removed
  • Kog'Maw's damage occurs after combat healing but before scoring
  • The "my battlefield" wording needs additional rules support that doesn't currently exist in the comprehensive rules
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